Printing machine



. T. TAYLOR March l, 1938.

PRINTING MACHINE a sheds-sheet 1 Filed une 7, 1957 T. TAYLOR PRINTINGMACHINE March 1,41938.

Filed June '7, 1937 s sheets-sheet 2 v MFV v////1/ arch E, 1938.

T. TAYLOR APRINTING MACHINE Filed June 7, 1937 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 CITPatented Mar. 1, 1938 PRINTING MACHINE Tom TaylolgBristol, England,`assigner to The Thrissell Engineering Company, Limited, Bristol, EnglandApplication June 7, 1937, serial No. 146,953 Y In Great Britain June 12,1936 10 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to printing machinesof the kind having a forme movable into -and out ofV engagement with aplaten and inking mechanism comprising an ink container, an inkdistributor, means to transfer ink from the container to thedistributor, inking means to transfer ink from the distributor to aforme, and rolling means disposed between the means to transfer ink fromthe container and the inking means to roll the ink on the surface of thedistributor.

In printing machines of the type described it has previously beenproposed to apply ink to a flat surface on which the ink was rolled andfrom which the ink was transferred to the forme. Machines'constructed inaccordance with these proposals usually occupy a comparatively largeamount of space.

The term rough ink when used herein and in the appended claims means inkwhich is contained inthe ink container vor which has been removedtherefrom but which has not been rolled so as to make it suitable forapplication to the inking means.

According to the invention there is provided inking mechanism of thetype described wherein the ink distributor comprises a curved surfacearranged to reciprocate between the transfer means and the inking meansin a manner such that the rolling means engages the curved surfaceduring the movement of the latter in each direction for the purpose ofspreading the ink over the curved surface. The extent of reciprocation'of the curved surface is regulated in a manner such that that portion ofthe curved surface to which. ink is transferred by the transfer means isnot engaged by the inking means in order that the inking means shall notreceive ink from that portion of the curved surface to which rough inkis applied by the transfer means.

The curved surface may be rotatable about an axis coincident with thecentre of curvature of the surface and the curved surface may comprisean arc of a circle.

The inking means may be carried by a Vsupport movable in an arcuatepath, andthe inking means arranged to be movable relatively to thesupport to permit the required engagement between the inking means and aforme.

The lrelative movement between the support and the inking means may beprovided by slidably mounting the inking means on the support andcontrolling said means by a resilient element or elements, which is orare operative when the inking means is in engagement with a forme,

(Cl. lOl- 302) to permit the inking means to move radially away from thepoint about which the support moves so that the inking means may moveover and engage the surface of the forme.

One Way of carrying the invention into effect will be described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a printing presswith the forme in the upper position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing certain of theparts shown in Figure l in different positions from the positions inwhich they are shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 show diagrammatically the manner in 'which ink is spreadover the surface of a` distributor.

Like references refer to like parts throughout the specification anddrawings.

Referring to the drawings, the forme 3 of the printing machine iscarried by a head 4 which is pivoted at 5 so as to be oscillatabletowards and away from the platen 6 which is positioned on the bed 'I ofthe machine. The printing head is oscillated by means of crank andtoggle mechanism, comprising two links 8 and 8a, the former beingpivoted at 9 to the bed 1 of the machine, and the latter connected atIll with the head i of the machine by a projection I I. A link I2 isconnected with the arms 8 and Ba at I3 and is also connected with acrank I4 which is driven from the main drive of the machine.

To theprinting head 4 there is connected the inking mechanism whichcomprisesran ink container I5 and a curved distributing surface I5 whichmay comprise a cylindrical roller but which is shown in the drawings asan arc of a circle. The distributing surface is mounted for rotationwith a shaft I1, the axis of rotation of which isV coincident with thecentre of curvature of the curved surface I6.

A toothed sector I8 is connected to the distributing surface I6 andengages with a further toothed sector I9 which is connected with inkingmeans shown as rollers Ztl'. The inking rollers are carried by a supportZI and are arranged to be movable relatively to the support 2l by reasonof the fact that the rollers 2U are car-- ried on frames 22 which aresecured to rods 23 slidable in the support 2l and controlled by springs24. VThe support 2| is arranged to move in an arcuate path about aspindle and the springs 24 control the inking rollers 20 so that as thesupport 2l moves through its arcuate path and the inking rollers 20engage with the forme 3 to apply ink thereto, the inking rollers moverelatively to the support in a direction which is radial to the axis ofthe spindle 25 about which the support 2l is moved.

The ink in the ink duct I5 is transferred from the duct to the surfaceof the distributor I6 by a vibrator or messenger roller 26 which isarranged to oscillate between a roller 21 which engages with the ink inthe duct I5 and the surface of the distributor I6 as can be seen fromFigure 1. The roller 21 is rotated whilst the messenger roller 26 is inengagement therewith by means of a ratchet wheel 28 with which a pawl 29mounted on an arm 30 co-operates, the arm 30 being connected by a link3I to the sector I8 which operates the distributor I 6.

A plurality of freely rotatable rollers 32 are positioned adjacent thesurface of the distributor I6, and are arranged to roll over the surfaceof the distributor the ink deposited upon the surface IS by themessenger roller 2li. As will be seen from the drawings, the rollers 32are disposed between the transfer roller 25 and the inking means 2D.

The distributing surface IG is arranged to oscillate about the axis ofthe shaft I1 and so transfer the ink which has been rolled over thedistributor surface by the rollers 32 to the inking rollers 2B.

As will be seen from Figure Z, the inking rollers 20 are arranged to bein position to receive ink from the distributor surface I6 whilst theforme 3 is co-operating with the platen E.

It will be seen, therefore, that the distributing surface I6 is movablebetween the transfer means 26 and the inking rollers 20 and in timedrelationship with the inking rollers and the arrangement is such thatthe rough ink on the curved surface of the distributor I6 is engagedonly by the rollers 32 during the movement of the distributor in eachdirection. In this manner some at least of the ink which is on thedistributing surface is rolled over the surface of the distributor IE atleast twice before it is transferred to the inking rollers 20, and it ispossible to obtain a more even film of ink on the distributing surfaceI5 than is the case when the distributing surface is moved in onedirection only.

Figures 3 and 4 show the distributing surface in its extreme positions,and as can be seen from these figures, the ink transferred to thedistrib'- uting surface I5 is spread over only a relatively small areaof the surface IB, the distance along the arc formed by the surface I5being indicated by the distance S shown in Figures 3 and 4. The inktransferred to the surface I6 along the distance S is rough ink and therollers 32 roll the ink so that it is relatively smooth over theremainder of the surface I6. From Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen thatthe extent of the movement of the curved surface I6 in the direction ofthe inking rollers 2@ is such that the inking rollers 2Q do not engagewith that part of the curved surface IG to which rough ink is applied.

'Ihe operation of the inking rollers 2] and the distributing surface Itis effected in timed relationship with the movement of the forme 3 dueto the fact `that the spindle 25 previously referred to, and about whichthe support 2 I moves, is connected with the head 4 of the printingpress. The support 2l is formed as a bell crank lever, one arm of whichsupports the inking rollers the other arm being connected with a link 33pivoted at 313 to the bed l' of the machine.

The sector I9 also is connected to the spindle 25 so that as theprinting head l! is moved the support 2i is correspondingly moved andthe sector i9 by cc-operation with the sector I8 causes the distributori6 to be rotated about the axis of the shaft I'I, and this movement inturn is transmitted through the link 3| to the pawl 29 which operatesthe ratchet 28 and rotates the roller 2l. It will be seen, therefore,that the roller 2l of the inking mechanism is movable in timedrelationship with the movement of the printing head.

A cam (not shown) is connected with the spindle 25 and is arranged tooperate the messenger roller 25 so that it transfers ink from the roller27 to the distributor surface I6 at the required intervals.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combination witha source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor having a distributingsurface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from said source to aportion only of said surface, inking means receiving ink from saidsurface, and means for moving said distributor to cause the distributingsurface thereof to engage and move over said inking means, the extent ofsuch movement being insuiicient to engage that portion of the saidsurface to which ink from said source to a portion only of said surface,inking means receiving ink from said surface, means for moving saiddistributor to cause the distributing surface thereof to engage and moveover said inking means, the extent of such movement being insufficientto engage that portion of the said surface to which rough inl: issupplied, and means cooperating with said distributing surface forspreading the ink thereover.

3. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combination witha source of supply of ink, of 'an ink distributor having a distributingsurface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from said source to aportion only of said surface, inking means receiving ink from saidsurface, means. for moving said distributor to cause the distributingsurface thereof 'to engage and move over said inking means, the extentof such movement being insufficient to engage that portion of the saidsurface to which rough ink is supplied, and roller means positionedadjacent the path of movement of said distributing means and engagingthe surface thereof to spread the ink over said surface.

4. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combination witha source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor having a curveddistributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from saidsource to a portion only of said surface, inking means receiving inkfrom said surface, and means for imparting oscillatory movementI to saiddistributor to cause the distributing surface thereof to engage and moveover said inking means, the extent of such movement being insufficientto engage that portion of the said surface to which rough ink issupplied.

5. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combination witha source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor having a curveddistributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from saidsource to a portion only of said surface, inking means receiving inkfrom said surface, means for imparting oscillatory movement to saiddistributor to cause the distributing surface thereof to engage and moveover said inking means, the extent of such movement being insufficientto engage that portion of the said surface to which rough ink issupplied, and means cooperating with said distributing surface forspreading the ink thereover.

6. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combination witha source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor having a curveddistributingsurface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from saidsource to a portion only of said surface, inking means receiving inkfrom said surface, means for imparting oscillatory movement to saiddistributor to cause the distributing surface thereof to engage and moveover said inking means, the extent of such movement being insufficientto engage that portion of the said surface to which rough ink issupplied, and roller means positioned adjacent the path of movement ofsaid distributing means and engaging the surface thereof to spread theink over said surface.

7. In ink applying mechanism for printing presses ofthe type providedwith cooperating, relatively movable form and platen members, thecombination with a source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor havinga distributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from saidsource to a portion only of said surface, inking means receiving inkfrom said surface, said inking means being supported for movement intoengagement with and over the active face of said form to apply inkthereto, and means for moving said distributor to cause the distributingsurface thereof to engage and move over said inking means While thelatter is out of engagement With said form, the extent of such movementbeing insuicient to engage that portion of the said surface to Whichrough ink is supplied.

8. In ink applying mechanism for printing presses of the type providedwith cooperating, relatively movable form and platen members, thecombination with a source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor havinga distributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough ink from saidsource to a portion only of said surface, inking means receiving inkfrom said sur face, said inlring means being suppgorted for movementinto engagement with and over the active face of said form to apply inkthereto, and means for moving said distributor to cause the distributingsurface thereof to engage and move over said inking means While thelatter is out of Vengagement with said form, the extent of such movementbeing insufficient to engage that portion of the said surface to whichrough ink is supplied, said inking means including ink receiving rollersand means yieldingly urging said rollers into engagement with said formand said distributing surface.

9. In ink applying mechanism for printing presses of the type providedwith cooperating, relatively movable form and platen members, thecombination with a source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor havinga curved distributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough inkfrom said source to aportion only of said surface, inking meansreceiving ink from said surface, said inking means being supported formovement into engagement with and over the active face of said form toapply ink thereto, means for imparting oscillatory movement to saiddistributor to cause the distributing surface thereof to engage and moveover said inking means While the latter is out of engagement with saidform, the extent of such movement being insufficient to engage thatportion of the said surface to which rough ink is supplied, and-meanscooperating With said distributing surface for spreading the inkthereover.

10. In ink applying mechanism for printing machines, the combinationwith a source of supply of ink, of an ink distributor having a generallycylindrical distributing surface, transfer means for supplying rough inkfrom said source to a portion only of said surface, inking meansreceiving ink from saidsurface, rollers supported for engagement withsaid surface to spreadthe ink thereover, and means for oscillating saiddis- Vtributor about the axis of said surface to cause the latter tomove over said inking means and said spreading rollers, the range ofmovement of said'distributor being insufficient to Contact said inkingmeans with the said portion of said surface supplied with rough ink,said spreading rollers being disposed intermediate said inking means andsaid transfer means.

TOM TAYLOR.

